Rotary engine.



R. V. SMITH. ROTARY ENGINE.

APYLIUATION rILnD SEPT. 1o, 1010.

1 035,253. Patented Aug. 13,1912.

Allomy R. V. SMITH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1910.

1,085,253. Patented Aug.13,1912.

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MG/MW?? COLUMNA PLANQGMDN co., WASHINGTON. D. C.

R. V. SMITH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 1o, 1910.

1,035,253. Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

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R. IV. SMITH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

A'PPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1910. 1,035,253. Patented Aug. 13,1912.

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W/TNESSES /1 army UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REINOLD V. SMITH, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO ARVIS MOTOR CO., OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, RmNoLD V. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to rotary engines broadly, which are adapted to be operated by any kind of working fiuid whether steam, compressed air or whether the working fluid is admitted to the engine from a separate generator or is generated therein by internal combustion.

One of the objects of the invention is to construct an engine which will be mechanically balanced, and in which the working fluid pressures are balanced so as to prevent losses due to friction caused by unbalanced pressures.

Another object is to construct an engine in which leakage of the working fluid is prevented so that the efficiency will be a maximum.

Another object is to construct an engine in which the frictional losses are reduced to a minimum and to provide a novel system of lubrication.

Another object is to construct an engine which will combine simplicity of construction with ease of operation.

Further o-bjects will appear from the detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an engine embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 Fig. 2; Fig. l is a section on the line i-4l: Fig. 3 with the rotor piston in a different position; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the elemental parts of the engine; and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views showing the stop mechanism for the rotatable abutment.

The engine generally stated consists of a rotary piston member provided with one or more pistons, and this piston member has coperating therewith one or more abutments of the rotatable type as distinguished from an abutment of the rectilinearly movable or sliding type. It is much easier to make tight joints with a rotatable type of abutment than with one of the sliding type;

in fact it is practically impossible to obtain an efficient construction with the latter type of abutment.

The rotor consists of a easing comprising sides plates 10, provided with base members 11 and strengthened by webs 12. These side plates have preferably cast integral therewith the bearings 13 for the rotor shaft and are further provided with annular flanges 14 forming shoulders for receiving circumferential plates 15, which are preferably split and bolted together by means of bolts passing through flanges 1G thereon as shown in Fig. 1. The side plates are bolted together by means of a circle of bolts 17. By means of this construction a casing is produced which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, has few joints, and which can be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled.

The rotor 18 is of disk form and is mounted on a shaft 19 which is journaled in the bearings 13. The ends of the bearings are provided with glands 2O so as t0 form a fluid tight joint for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The rotor is cut as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 so as to form cylinder spaces between the rim 21 and the hub 22. A radially and axially extending piston 23 is secured to each of the side faces of the rotor and extends between the hub and the rim. This piston is preferably sunk into the rotor body as shown in Fig. 3 and is so cut as to form one of the teeth of a bevel gear. It is provided along its outside face with a channel which receives a metallic packing 24. which is pressed outwardly by springs as is usual in this kind et' a construction and is retained against extreme outward movement by means of a number of stop pins 25, engaging elongated slots in the packing strip. The rotor is so constructed as to have a snug running bearing against the side plates and the inner faces of the flanges 14 as shown in Fig. 3. If desired the rotor may be provided at the rim and at the hub with one or more metallic packing rings.

One or more rotative abutments are arranged to copcrate with the piston member and with the pistons on opposite sides thereof. Since the abutments are identical in construction a description of one will be sufficient. The abutment comprises a toothed member 26 provided with teeth 27. The abutment is'mounted on a shaft 27a which extends radially and is inclined with respect to the rotor shaft and intersects the same. The abutment is so constructed and the teeth are so cut that the rotor or piston member and the abutment form together the elements of a bevel gear, one of which, namely the rotor, is mutilated and provided with one tooth. 'In view of the fact however that there is only one tooth on the rotor it is not absolutely necessary to construct the teeth on the abutinents of strictly conventional gear tooth form. rFliese teeth may however have that conventional forin if it is found desirable. The side plates have bolted thereto castings 29, by means of flanges 30, which form with the side plates the housings for the abutinents. The castings 29 and the parts integral with the plates are cut as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 so that the teeth of the abut- 1 n a `;is formed between the plate 15 and the rim of the wheel.

ments will have a snug fit with the interior surface, and the teeth 27 are provided with packing strips 28, and the ends of the rotor are provided with packing rings 281 so as to provide fluid-tight joints.

Each of the shafts 27- is supported at its upper end in a bearing 31 and at its lower end in bearings 32 and The abutinents passages 33a which are arranged to register with a passage 34 in the rotor casing. The passages 34 for the separate abutments are connected to branch pipes 35 which connect to a common main 36 which conducts the motive liuid to the engine. The supply of motive fluid to each of the abutinents is controlled by an ordinary oscillating valve 37 which is provided with a lever arm 38 operated through a link 39 from an eccentric 40 on the shaft 19. The side plates 10 are further provided with exhaust ports 33b connected with exhaust pipes 35h.

rlhe rotative abutments are rectilinearly moved by the direct engagement of the pistons 23 with the teeth 27. It is necessary however to lock these abutinents when in operative position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. andr to unlock them prior to the engagement of the pistons with the teeth thereon. Any suitable well known lock and release device may be employed for this purpose but a specific embodiment will be described. Each of the shafts 27 a is provided with a pair of toothed members 41 and 42, each of the members being provided with two teeth, and the teeth of the separate members crossing each other as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 so that succeeding teeth will be located out of axial alinement. A wide stop pawl 43, controlled by a spring 44, is arranged to engage the teeth on both members and to lock the abutment against counter-clockwise movement,

but to permit free clockwise movement. A let-off device 44a is mounted on a shaft 45 which is arranged to oscillate in a bearing bracket 46 on the engine frame and this shaft has connected to it, by .means of a universal joint, a stub shaft 47 also mounted on the bracket 46 and provided with a crank 48 connected to a crank 48l on a gear 50 by means of a connecting rod 49. The gear 50 is mounted on a stub shaft 50EL on the casting 29 and meshes with a gear 51 on the shaft 19, the gear 51 having half the number of teeth as the gear 50 so that the crank 48a is driven at half the speed of the shaft 19. The

. length of the crank arm of the crank pin 48ZL 2 is less than that of the crank 48 so. that the 1 shaft 47, and therefore the shaft 45, ismerely f oscillated a suflicient amount to move the letoff device 44a alternately into the path of the teeth of the members 41 and 42, respectively, thereby alternating releasing, and

stopping and locking the abutment.

lt will be seen that an annular chamber 52 This annular chamber is ar- .ranged for connection with a source of oil supply by means of a pipe 53 so that the oil can be forced into this chamber under high pressure. Thel bearings 13 are likewise each provided with a channel 54 arranged for il connection with an oil supply by means of a are provided with :i plurality of ports or pipe 55, so that oil can be forced into this channel under high pressure. rlhe rotor shaft may be provided with a suitable pulley 56 or may be directly connected to the mechanism to which power is to be transmitted.

The operation of this engine will now be obvious. Referring to Fig. 4, when the rotor moves toward the abutment so that the pis* i ton thereon comes into engagement with one of the teeth, the let-off 44a will be moved to 2 release the rotor and permit it to be moved forward one tooth when it will be arrested hy the let-off and locked against movement in either direction by the let-off 44a and the pawl 43. After the piston has moved7 past the abutment and to a position in front of the too-th thereon as shown in Fig. 4, the valve 37 is opened to admit motive fluid to the port 33a behind the piston, thereby driving the piston forward. The motive fluid can be cut off by the valve 37 at any suitable point so as to obtain any suitable cut-off and the pro-per expansion. After the piston has moved around past the exhaust port 33b the fluid will be exhausted to the exhaust pipe 35". As the piston again nears the abutment this abutment will be released and the next tooth thereon will be engaged by the piston and moved forward another step, and mo tive fluid can be admitted to thek next port 332L and to the rotor of the piston so as to again drive the piston forward on its second stroke. rlhe mechanism is so timed that the abutment is released slightly prior to the time when the tooth thereon is engaged by the piston, and the let-off 44 will be in a position to immediately lock the abutment when it is moved to its next operative position. It will be seen that the exhaust port is spaced a slight distance from the abutment so that any fluid remaining in front of the piston after this piston passes the exhaust port will be trapped and compressed between the piston and the abutment so as to form a cushion or buffer between these two parts whereby wear, due to impact, will be prevented. The part-s are so timed that the abutment is released a short time before the piston engages the tooth on the abutment but after it has started to pass the succeeding tooth g/ so that the abutment may begin to move before the piston actually reaches it due to the fluid compression between the teeth and piston whereby at the time the piston reaches the tooth it will be moving at nearly the same speed as the piston. This movement of the abutment is permitted by the back lash. In this way wear, due to impact, is diminished or. wholly avo-ided. The friction between the end of the tooth and the web of the piston member will also facilitate this operation since the abutmentwill be carried along slightly due to this frictional engagement. If desired, however, the engaging faces may be provided with a suitable spring buffer. It will be found however that the compression will ordinarily be sufficient for this purpose especially if the teeth are closely cut, which is practicable in view of the fact that both the piston and the abutment teeth may be cut as bevel gear teeth,

In prior constructions, especially where t-he abutment was of the sliding or rectilinearly type, difficulty has been experienced in making goed joints between the piston member, the casing and the abutment. This di'tli` culty is however not present in abutments of the rotative type since the parts come into rolling contact with each other and therefore a better engagement and joint can be made between the abutment and the piston member while in the sliding abutment the end must be pressed direct-ly against the piston member, which is impracticable unless the pressure be exceedingly high when the friction will of course be very great. In abutments of the rotative type, as shown in this application, it is possible to make a large number of the joints by means of piston rings and all of the joints on surfaces will have a rolling or sliding engagement.

It is exceedingly diflicult in rotary engines to make a steam joint between the rotating part and the casing and at the same time avoidin frictional losses as much as possible. n accordance with this construction the oil is forced on the joint under pressure so as to form in effect an oil seal. This oil may be forced in by means of a suitable force pump driven by the engine, the oil being forced in at a slightly higher pressure than the steam or other motive fluid so that there will be a continuous flow of oil into the machine, thereby lubricating all the joints between the rotor and the casing. The amount of oil required will be very slight since the pressure of the oil can be maintained and regulated very closely so as not to exceed the pressure of the motive fluid to any great extent. In practice there will be a slight continual flow bot-h from the annular chamber 52 and radially from the passages 54 between the hub and the casing. The glands 20 will prevent leakage of the oil through the bearings. It is not absolutely necessary to provide an oil seal but any liquid seal, and even water and preferably at boiler temperature may be used since the water forms itself a fairly efficient lubricant. Thus water may be forced in both the chamber 52 and the passages 54.

Since the motive fluid is admitted to both faces of the piston members and since both of these faces are of the same area the rotor will be perfectly balanced axially. The rotor is also balanced radially since the cylinder extends between the hub and the rim. It will be noted that the abutment is moved only after exhaust so that the pressure on its bearings is a minimum. In this way losses due to friction are avoided without necessitating elaborate balancing schemes for the abutment. In this particular instance the rotor is provided with a piston on each side or face. It is obvious however that it .may be provided with a plurality of pistons on each side. The rotor may also be of single construction with one or more pistons on only one side thereof; in such a case fluid must be admitted to the other side to establish a balancing pressure.

By filling in the spaces between all the teeth except two so that only one recess is provided, the abutment and piston member can then be geared together so that the abutment moves continuously. This Ymay be advantageous in certain instances since the joint between the abutment and piston member is thereby improved and the sliding speed between the parts is reduced, since the abutment always moves but at a slower speed than the piston member. In this case the abutment shaft can be geared to the rotor shaft through a suitable reducing gear so that the abutment will make one revolution while the rotor is making one revolution. The abutment in this case will also be of the frusto-conical construction. This abutment will also be of the rotative type and therefore I consider it to come within the scope of this invention. Although in this particular embodiment the fluid is admitted to the engine under pressure as is the case With steam, compressed air or any other motive fluid which is generated in a separate generator, it Will be obvious that this invention in its broadest aspects is not necessarily limited to this construction but the engine may also be used as an engine of the internal combustion type in Which the Working fluid is admitted either as a liquid or a gas under low pressure and subsequently ignited to generate a high pressure.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction Without departing from this invention and it is therefore to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination Wit-h a cylinder, a rotary piste-n member arranged in the cylinder, of a rotatable abutment provided With a fluid inlet passage and having its axis at an angle to said piston member.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder', a rotary piston member arranged in the cylinder, of an axial rotatable abutment provided With a fluid inlet passage and cooperating with said piston member.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member, having a rim, of a rotatable abutment arranged oblique to said rim and located inside of said rim to co operate With said piston member.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member having a shaft and a rim, of an axial rotatable abutment between said shaft and rim and arranged oblique thereto.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination Wit-h a rotary piston member having a rim and an axial piston arranged inside of said rim, of an axial rotatable abutment coperating With said piston member and ar ranged at an angle to the latter.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member and a rim, of an axial piston on said piston member and inside of said rim, and a rotatable abutment cooperating With said piston member and the piston thereon and movable to a position out of alinement with the rim.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotatable disk therein, a piston on one of the faces of said disk, and a rotatable abutment cooperating with said piston and having an inlet passage leading into the casing.

S. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotatable disk therein having a rim thereon, a piston on said disk inside of said rim and having one side oblique to an end surface of the casing, and

a rotatable abutment cooperating with said piston.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination 'with a rotary piston member having an axial piston, of a movable abutment cooperating With said piston member and the piston thereon and located at an acute angle to said piston member and intermittently operated by the latter.

10. In a rotary engine, the combination yWith a rotary piston member, of pistons on opposite faces of said member, and abutm ments cooperating with said member and the pistons thereon and pivoted about axes oblique to the piston member.

11. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member comprising a disk having a rim and pistons arranged on opposite sides of said disk and inside of said rim, of rotatable abutments cooperating with said pistons.

12. In a rot-ary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member comprising a disk having a rim and pistons arranged on opposite sides of said disk and inside of said rim, of axially arranged. rotatable abutments cooperating with said pistons.

13. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment having its axis at an angle to said piston member and intermittently operated thereby.

14. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member having a piston thereon, of a rotatable abutment arranged alongside of said piston member and comprising an oblong member having teeth converging axially thereof and adapted to be shifted by direct engagement With the piston.

15. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment intermittently operated thereby and forming with the piston member the elements of a bevel gear.

16. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abut-ment intermittently operated thereby and comprising a toothed member forming With the piston member the elements of a bevel gear.

17. In a rotary engine, the combination With a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment arranged at an angle to the piston member cooperating therewith and forming With the piston member the elements of a mutilated gear.

18. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment arranged at an angle to the piston member cooperating therewith and shifted directly by said piston member, and means for locking said abutment.

19. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a rotary piston shaft having a port-ion arranged therein, and a piston located in the casing and secured to said shaft; of an abutment shaft having one end portion extending into the casing and provided at its opposite end portion with an extension, an abutmentcoperating with the piston and located in the casing and secured on said abutment shaft, an oscillating locking member located exteriorly of the casing, and means operated from the piston shaft and connected to the locking member' to move the latter into and out of engagement with the extension on the abutment shaft.

20. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment cooperating therewith and having a radial axis, of ports in said abutment.

21. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment cooperating therewith and comprising a toothed member, of obliquely disposed ports in said member between said teeth.

22. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing comprising side plates, and a rotary piston member' therein, of a rotatable abutment intermittently operated by the piston member and having its axis inclined with respect to the aXis of said piston member, and incasing means for said abutment secured to one of said side plates.

23. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing comprising side plates, and a rotary piston member therein, of a pair of rotatable abutments on opposite sides of said piston member, and ineasing means for said abutments secured to said side plates.

24. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a rotary piston member therein, and a shaft for said piston member ournaled in said casing, of a pair of rotatable abutments on opposite sides of said piston member and extending radially of said shaft.

25. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a rotary piston member therein, and a shaft for said piston member journaled in said casing, of a pair of rotatable abutments on opposite sides of said piston and comprising toothed members forming with said piston member the elements of bevel gears, and means for supporting said abutments below said shaft.

26. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing and a rotary piston member therein, of a pair of rotatable abutments on opposite sides of said piston member and forming the elements of bevel gears therewith.

27. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, a rotary piston shaft having a portion arranged therein, and a piston located in the casing and secured to said shaft; of an abutment shaft having one end portion extending int-o the casing and provided at its opposite end portion with a plurality of extensions, an abutment coperating with the piston and located in the casing and secured to said abut-ment shaft, a pawl located exteriorly of the casing and yieldingly held in engagement with one of said extensions to prevent movement of said shaft in one direction, an oscillating locking member located exteriorly of the casing, and means operated from the piston shaft and connected to the locking member to move the latter to successively engage and disengage the extensions on the abutment shaft.

28. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing and a rotary piston member therein provided with a rim, of an annular chamber' between said rim and easing, and means for supplying a liquid under pressure to said chambe 2E). In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotary piston member therein ,comprising a disk provided with a rim and a piston on said disk and inside of said rim, and a liquid seal between said rim and casing.

30. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a. rotary piston member therein comprising a disk provided with a rim and a piston on said disk and inside of said rim, an annular chamber surrounding said rim, and means for supplying a liquid under pressure to said chamber.

31.111 a rotary engine, the combination with a casing comprising side plates, of a rotary piston member in said easing comprising a disk provided with a rim, said side plates extending over said rim and being provided with means to form an annular chamber, and means for supplying, fluid under pressure to said chamber.

32. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, of a rotary piston member therein comprising a disk provided with a rim and a piston on said disk and inside of chamber, and means for supplying Huid under pressure to said easing and near the axis of said disk.

33. In a rotary engine. the combination with a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment arranged at an acute angle to the piston member and cooperating therewith and shifted directly by said piston member, and means whereby a fluid will be trapped between said piston member and said abutment so as to form a cushion.

34. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member having a piston; of a rotatable shaft provided with an extension, an abutment arranged on the shaft and shifted directly by the piston, movable means adapted to engage and disengage said extension for locking said abutment, means for unlocking said abutment prior to the engagement of the piston therewith, and means whereby a fluid will be trapped between said i piston member and said abutment so as to form a cushion.

35. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary piston member, of a rotatable abutment arranged at an acute angle to the piston member and coperating therewith and shifted directly by said piston member, and an exhaust port for said engine positioned to permit motive fluid to be trapped between said piston member and abutment so as to form a cushion.

36. ln a rotary engine, the combinationy 38. In a rotary engine, the combination of l a casing comprising side members having inwardly projecting flanges, circumferential plates between said side members and engaging the outer surface of said flanges, and means for securing said plates together.

39. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a piston wheel mounted within the casing and having grooves in opposite sides forming ways, wings intersecting said Ways to receive the impact of the motive medium, oppositely disposed rotary abutments mounted upon the sides of the casing and extending into and closely fitting t-he ways of the piston wheel and having openings for the piston wings to pass through, shells attached to the casing and inclosing the rotary abutments, a shaft having the piston wheel attached thereto, and means between said shaft and rotary abutments for operating the latter.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REINOLD V. SMITH.

Witnesses ARTHUR L. BRYANT, J. H. BRUNINGA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

l Washington, D. C. 

